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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Cambodia and Thailand's Crisis, Two Different Political Cultures

Cambodia post-election crisis has dragged on over four months and no sign of political breakthrough. Now CNRP plans a fourth mass protest in Seam Reap on December 10, 2013 to continue demanding justice for voters. Meanwhile, CPP has revealed its new tactic of intimidation against the opposition leadership with two possible lawsuits and a plan of assassination attempt and replacing new elected CNRP members a long with a call for talk. As Cambodian political crisis in a deadlock, Thailand has slipped into another crisis for just less than three years; the crisis has reached a tipping point for less than a week when protesters stormed and occupied many government buildings that nearly made the government paralyzed. As the Thai protest has gained momentum, many questions have raised that "Should Cambodian protesters follow the Thai?" Based on two different political cultures of the two countries, we should not follow them.

Thai protest on December 03, 2013

Although the two countries share a common religion, similar culture and language originated from India, they have two distinct political cultures. Historically, Thailand is more stable politically and economically than Cambodia. Albeit Thailand has gone through at least eighteen military coups hitherto, Thailand has still managed to maintain civilian democratic elected governments over past decades in compared with Mayanmar which has been ruled by a military Junta since 1962 until 2011. Thailand is among the most democratic countries in the region along with Philippines and Indonesia. In 1932, a Thai military's bloodless coup had forced King Prajadhipok to give up an absolute monarchy power and embraced a constitutional monarchy ceded most power to parliament that has been practiced until today. Furthermore, Thailand is a true sovereign and independent nation, and no any country dares to meddle with its own internal affairs in contrast to Cambodia.Political crisis has always occurred but quickly solved by a revered king and military intervention. Oppositely from Cambodia, all Thai national institutions are very independent from political parties--from national election committee, courts, police, military and so on. As all these institution are neutral, all political parties have an equal opportunity to compete with each other in an election, and a winner truly represents the will of the people. Thai government either from Democrat or Peu Thai has always refrained from using excessive forces or violence against its own people during crisis unless in a dire situation. A bloody crackdown on the Red Shirt protesters in 2010 was ordered only after months long confrontations and failure in negotiations. Now Ms. Yingluck's government has followed even more peaceful way by allowing the protesters stormed and occupied government office buildings to avert violent clashes with police even she easily survived a no confident vote by Thai parliament--a common practice in a parliamentary political system. The Thai government has handled its crisis in more civilized and peaceful ways even it knew that people had clearly broken a law; it refused to use excessive forces to punish them but let them face the law at the end. Now the Yingluck's government has gained some sympathy from the international community even the US has condemned the violence initiated by the protesters and urged both sides to negotiate to end the crisis immediately though a protest leader vowed to continue next week, fallowing a moratorium in observance of the King's birthday celebration.

Whereas Cambodian political culture is so different from Thailand as we have gone through more turbulent history of colonization, violent wars, killing fields, foreign occupation, and continuously interfered by Hanoi until today. Currently, Cambodia is outwardly a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy the same as Thailand; but in fact, Cambodia is a quasi one-party system rule and covertly controlled by Vietnam. Hun Sen regime, which has ruled the country over three decades, has survived only by fraudulent and violent means. This violent prone regime is fragrant internationally by its corruption and human rights abuses. Any natural or violent protest against an election fraud as the Thai protest will be brutally smashed by Hun Sen's security forces. The 1997 bloody coup, the 1998 bloody crackdown on election protest, and recent brutal attacks by police on monks, onlookers and protesters at Steung Mean Chey are just fresh reminds that this regime will act the same way if the protesters fallow a way of Thai protesters.The regime deeply rooted in the country over three decades will not easily fall, but if it falls, it will not able to come back, for the CPP cannot survive in a free and fair election. As the opposition planned a series of weekly mass protest, the CPP has launched its new tactic of intimidation--mainly against Kem Sokha whose comments implicated a military role in plundering power from voters and his previous comment about the S-21 that now Hun Sen has tried to bring it back together. A divulged plan of assassination attempt on Kem Sokha posted on a Facebook controversial account, a suggestion from Cheang Vun, a Senior CPP member, to use internal rule of the National Assembly to replace the 55 new elected CNRP members along with a call for talk from a CPP's chief negotiator, Prum Sokha, just create a more complicated political pressure ahead for the opposition. Albeit all these tactics are not new, the opposition must take them in face value because Sam Rainsey and Kem Sokha along with their colleagues used to face such a tribulation many times in the past and expect to face more if Hun Sen still holds the power.The Thai and Khmer people are culturally close related but politically very different; the Thai people live in a true sovereign and democratic country while Khmer people live in a quasi authoritarian state where every aspect in society is controlled by one man or a party. To get rid of this dictatorial regime demands strong unity among Khmer and well planned and disciplined leadership. The current CNRP's strategy in dealing with Hun Sen's regime is unlikely to success in demanding justice for voters, but it has put steady pressure on the CPP to make more concession in a possible future negotiation. Without negotiation, there will be no way to end the current crisis peacefully, for the current regime shows no sign of relinquishing the power voluntarily. This is the battle between David and Golliah: a small and weak David can only win his giant enemy Golliah by using his wisdom or praja. To fallow what have happened in Thailand will be a premature as there is no balance of power in place because Cambodia has ruled by a violent-prone leader, Hun Sen who came to power by cannons and tanks of Hanoi in contrast to Prime Minister Yingluck whom was freely and fairly elected by the will of Thai people.

"The current CNRP's strategy in dealing with Hun Sen's regime is unlikely to success in demanding justice for voters, but it has put steady pressure on the CPP to make more concession in a possible future negotiation."

=I disagree with the article! The statements by the author are contradicting. So far the CNRP's strategy is working that is why the CPP is making concession wanting to negotiate. This is exactly what the CNRP want all along that is to do more protests and it will affect CPP economically because any protest is a sign of political instability which will not help investors to do business in Cambodia. And without investors to do business in Cambodia and Hun Sen will have no money to pay off his officials therefore Hun Sen is committing political suicide! The longer the protest go on and Hun Sen will be in big trouble politically! China and Vietnam can not afford to bankroll Hun Sen government forever and they are in Cambodia to do business and in business they must make a profit! So far Hun Sen government is making Cambodia the most unprofitable place to do business because of political instability!

The Thai national security is also the Cambodian national security and the other way around. If Hanoi manages to take over Cambodia through Hun Sen regime, like they did to Laos, Thailand will be next on Hanoi's take over list.

So, it is vital for Thailand national security and national stability that the CNRP succeeds in toppling Hun Sen regime and forms a CNRP led government and be close to the US like Thailand, then we Cambodia and Thailand are safe, otherwise NO.

Hanoi is in every Cambodia government levels including military and police. They imbeded their agents by changing their names and speak Khmer fluently, but we know who is Khmer and who is Youn Vietcong. Still Khmer oversea such as in Montreal this week who came out to welcome Ah Heng Samrin who is a Youn agent. These people have no clue and brainless that they forgot the past about the communist. What do they gain from supporting these criminals like Hun Sen, Chea Sim, and Heng Samrin. They're a part of the thieves and traitors of Khmer nation.

YOun Vietcong keeps supporting CPP, but for how long? If they don't, they will be brought to international tribunal at Hague one day to face the invasion of Khmer lands and islands. They won't last and they'll be sued by Khmer new government along with their coleberators (CPP members) to face justice.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday proposed a public referendum on proposals by anti-government protesters to let the majority of the people decide and suggest a way of holding a clean and fair election with a consensus from all parties as a way to end the conflict.

READ MY LIP! RUSSIA'S BIG TURN TO SMALL >1980. MONGOLIA HAS CONTROL 2/4 IN THE WORLD TURN TO CLOSE ONLY CHINA AND RUSSIA! THE WORLD IS CHANGED. VIET HAS TO MANY CONFLICT IN THEIRS ON CAUSE>1975,..1978,UNTILL NOW>KHMER KROM OR OVER 56 MINORITY. KHMER MUST UNITED! USA.

Our Cambodia situation has a quite similarity with the situation in Ukraine.

Bun Thoeun

Kiev Protesters Toppled Lenin Statue.

KIEV, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Crowds toppled a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin in the Ukrainian capital and attacked it with hammers on Sunday in the latest mass protests against President Viktor Yanukovich and his plans for closer ties with Russia.

The statue's felling - a symbolic rejection of Moscow's power - came after opposition leaders told hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to keep up pressure on Yanukovich to sack his government.

A Reuters reporter at the scene saw the protesters breaking up the statue with hammers after using ropes and metal bars to bring it crashing down.

The demonstrators are furious with the Yanukovich government for its decision to ditch a landmark pact with the European Union in favour of a trade deal with Moscow, Ukraine's Soviet-era overlord.

Yanukovich's sudden tack towards Russia has provoked the biggest street protests since the 2004-5 Orange Revolution, when people power forced a re-run of a fraud-tainted election and thwarted his first run for the presidency.

Sunday's rally marked a further escalation in weeks of confrontation between the authorities and protesters that have raised fears for political and economic stability in the former Soviet republic of 46 million people.

"This is a decisive moment when all Ukrainians have gathered here because they do not want to live in a country where corruption rules and where there is no justice," said world heavyweight boxing champion-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko.

Dear Cambodian nettizens, Legitimacy to get into power is DEFINITELY not the same thing as legitimacy to stay in power - being elected does not mean you can do corruption and collusion with impunityhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=544630322292810&set=a.392945087461335.94888.100002375402754&type=1

Presently, your behavior is inferior to animals, which always fiercely defend their territory and their family.

If you stood so low like that, why would you want to live ? What for ?

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday proposed a public referendum on proposals by anti-government protesters to let the majority of the people decide and suggest a way of holding a clean and fair election with a consensus from all parties as a way to end the conflict.